Siblings
by Moghedian
Summary: What if Deidara was from Konoha?  What if the reason he left was for an S Class secret mission issued by Yondaime before he died.  What if his sister didn't even know his name until she was 12?    Crackfic DeiIno non romance.  A hint of ShikaTema InoSai


"Shitenshin no Jutsu!" a small boy yelled. His fingers were positioned in the circle that represented his family's jutsu. A small distance away, at the edge of the clan's private training area, two tall blonde men were conversing, while watching the boy struggle with the technique.

"And he'd be completely safe?" The taller of the two men asked. The other blonde nodded, and shifted in his spot.

"I would do everything in my power to prevent harm from coming to your son. The war is over, and Iwa's forces are still recuperating. My friend can further train him in his expertise." The taller blonde looked on as the boy struggled to project his mind out of his body.

"Alright. You can take him. I'll talk to the wife." The other man nodded and smiled widely.

"So how is she doing? I heard she was getting pretty big." The taller man grinned back and said,

"She is, but don't tell her that. She thinks she's a cow already, no matter how much I tell her that she is beautiful. What about you? I heard that your blue eyed beauty was starting to show as well." The other blonde tipped his head.

"She is. She also thinks she's a cow. But she's also afraid of having children. I might have to get the two together." The taller man nodded and laughed, patting the shorter one on the back.

"Deidara!" A voice called, interrupting said boy's concentration. He dropped his jutsu, and, slightly light headed, looked over to the edge of the field at his father, and the retreating back of the Yondaime.

"Tou-chan?" He called. Inoichi waved his hand, and Deidara scampered over.

"The Yondaime wants to send you on a special mission." Deidara's blue eyes widened.

"R-really? Me? To do what?" The blonde boy said. Inoichi patted his son's head and said,

"Yondaime will explain it to you himself. So try to remember your manners when talking to him tonight." Deidara laughed and ran back towards the Yamanaka compound.

* * *

Deidara sat in his room on the floor playing with a small bird that he had sculpted out of clay. He flicked his finger up and down and the bird feebly moved. Sighing and rolling onto his back, Deidara sighed loudly.

A knock at his door interrupted his boredom.

"Dei-chan? Are you in there?" His mother called softly.

"Ka-chan! Is it time to see Yondaime-sama yet?" Deidara's mother opened the door and peered down at her son. Her eyes were rimmed red and looked slightly puffy.

"K-ka-chan? What happened? Are you ok?" Deidara leapt to his feet, accidentally crushing the small bird he had been playing with. The blonde boy didn't notice, but his mother did. She winced, but kept her grey-blue eyes on Deidara.

"Yes…It's time. I'm going to take you there myself. Your father has some important business with Akimichi-san and Nara-san." Deidara nodded and smiled happily. Taking his mother's hand, he led her towards the entrance to the compound.

A small knock at his office door caused Yondaime to turn around.

"Ahh, Touya-san, Deidara-kun, I'm glad to be graced with your presence… Inoichi-san…?"

"Not coming. He has to meet with his little trio." Touya said. Deidara was taken back with the acidity of his mother's words.

"Ka-chan…" Touya put her hand in front of Deidara's face, effectively shutting him up. Yondaime rubbed the back of his head with unease.

"Touya-san…I assure you that it's not a bad arrangement. I've been observing Deidara-kun for a few weeks, and I've seen his spectacular talent with clay." Deidara blushed and moved to hide behind his mother. Touya rubbed her bulging stomach and looked down at Deidara.

"For how long would he be away…?" Yondaime didn't answer right away, but after a moment he said,

"For as long as it takes. As you know, he's going to be trained under the art of using clay as a weapon. He will also be trained to be used as a weapon against the Uchihas." Touya looked a little confused.

"It may not seem like it, but some of the branch members in the clan want to revolt, and Fugaku always struck me as kinda loopy…even when we were younger…" Touya nodded uncertainly, and Yondaime continued.

"When Deidara-kun reaches a certain age, he is going to attract the attention of the group Akatsuki. They are still small and recruiting, but Orochimaru is a part of it, and that can never be good… He will join and take them down from the inside, while supplying me with information." Deidara was in awe. The Yondaime, Konoha's yellow flash, was sending him on an extremely important mission!

Touya wiped away the tears that were forming in her eyes.

"Now, Deidara-kun, I suggest you go home and get some sleep. You need to be here at 3 am sharp. You'll meet the man who will be your guardian until you join Akatsuki, and then you will leave. Be very careful, and take everything that you have learned about being a shinobi, and use it. This mission is S class, and top secret. From this moment onwards, your name is not Yamanaka Deidara, but Deidara of the Rock. I encourage you to discontinue the use of Shitenshin, because the Iwa know of it." Deidara nodded excitedly and said,

"Ka-chan! We have to get home! I have to sleep before I leave! Ka-channn!" Touya sighed in defeat and let herself be led out of the room. Yondaime watched the two leave and felt guilty for separating a child from its mother.

* * *

Deidara lay in his bed and listened to the clock tick. The steady sound was trying to lull him into sleep, but he was much too excited to sleep. Looking down to his hands, he had a small sculpture of a lizard and he was making it walk around by pressing small amounts of chakra into its body. The lizard's walk was unsteady and jerky, but Deidara had always thought it was amusing, and until the Yondaime had given him his (awesome) mission, he had always planned on perfecting the way the creatures moved so that he could amuse his younger sibling.

A thought suddenly struck the boy, and the lizard lay still.

"Aw… I'm not gonna get to see the baby… Maybe Ka-chan will send pictures…" focusing on the lizard again, it started to crawl jerkily up his leg.

"Deidara…Wake up!" A deep voice called from his door. Deidara's eyes snapped open and he sat up. The lizard fell to his lap and he rubbed his eyes.

"S'time already?" He mumbled. Inoichi flicked the light switch and he was immediately blinded by the bright bulb.

"Grab your bag and let's go." Inoichi said kindly. Deidara nodded, squinting from the light. Grabbing a moderately sized rucksack that he had packed the night before, he reached under his bed and grabbed his stash of clay that he had made. It wasn't the best of quality, but Deidara found it much easier to move his sculptures with.

"Tou-chan…" Deidara asked, after the two started to walk towards the large manor that belonged to Yondaime and his wife.

"Mm?" Inoichi replied. Deidara blushed a little from embarrassment before saying,

"Can you send me pictures of the baby?" The tall blonde man rested his hand on top of Deidara's head.

"I'll try, Deidara." Deidara smiled childishly. Inoichi smiled as well, but regret was starting to creep into his voice of reason.

The two walked in silence for the next ten minutes until they spotted Yondaime waiting by his gate. He gave a short wave, which both Yamanaka's returned. When Inoichi and Deidara got close enough for Yondaime to whisper, he said,

"Alright. Before someone sees us all converged here, your guardian is waiting in the training area behind the house… There is a secret trail that leads out of the village, and both you and Sir will be taking it.

"…Sir?" Yondaime nodded and pointed to the path that led to his backyard. The three quickly walked, the warm summer air serving as Deidara's last comfort in the village hidden in leaves.

A man whose hair had turned almost completely grey greeted them. Deidara couldn't guess his age. He didn't act like he was old, he stood up straight with a face that suggested he was not to be messed with, but in his hand he held a cane, and his face was weathered and wrinkled. Deidara unconsciously hid behind Inoichi.

Yondaime and Inoichi both bowed to the man, and Deidara let out a squeak before following suite. The old man rested his gaze on the small blonde and said,

"Is this the runt that I'm supposed to take?" Yondaime sighed and said,

"Sir, please. I'm over my head in debt to the Yamanaka's; you could at least be nice to the boy." The man hit Yondaime over the head with the cane and said,

"Boy, if I was nice, would you have won the stupid skirmish you folk call a war?" Yondaime sighed again and rubbed his head.

"This is Deidara-kun. I've already briefed you on what he is to become. I hope you can do it." The man tightened his grip on the cane, and Yondaime looked like he wanted to flinch.

"Don't doubt me boy. I can turn this kid into an S class nukenin before you know it. Give me 10 years." Yondaime smiled and nodded.

"Deidara-kun, this is-"

"Sir. You can call me Sir, and nothing else, you hear?" Sir interrupted. Deidara nodded frantically, clutching onto his father's waist. Sir smiled a gruff and grizzly smile that Deidara wasn't sure to be happy about or afraid of.

"You seem like a good kid. If you can take orders and keep focus, you'll do fine. Now let's go. We need to be out of sight of Konoha before dawn strikes." Deidara nodded and gave his father one last hug. He bowed at the Yondaime, and was surprised when the blonde Hokage leaned down and gave him a small hug.

"What you're doing might save Konoha one day. Be proud Deidara, and never forget who you're fighting for." Deidara nodded and grinned. Turning towards Sir, who had already started to walk away, he gave one last wave before running and catching up with the grizzly old man.

* * *

Running to a certain flower shop, a 12 year old brand new genin burst through the glass doors only to find her father watering flowers, and wearing a yellow apron. Sighing, the new genin said,

"Tou-chan…You shouldn't wear that kind of thing…it drives customers away…" Inoichi stood up and snorted.

"Nonsense, Ino-chan. It attracts them!" Ino rolled her eyes and said,

"I passed! Asuma-sensei said that we were a bit rough, but we worked together pretty good! Where's Mama?" Inoichi smiled widely.

"Good girl! I'm proud of you! Touya-chan is in the back, sorting old photos. Ino zipped past the counter and ran up the stairs that led to the storage room above the flower shop.

The sounds of quiet sobbing filled Ino's ears as she stepped into the hall before the storage room. Reaching up to twirl her piercing that she, Shikamaru, and Chouji all shared, Ino sighed. She often found her mother crying when she thought no one was around.

Softly and soundlessly, Ino slinked into the storage room and saw that Touya was fingering a photo in the large album that she held on her lap.

"M-Mama?" She said quietly, Touya jumped and gasped, wiping away her eyes.

"I-Ino! What are you doing here? I thought you were training with Asuma-san?" Ino smiled widely and thumbed herself in the chest.

"We passed! I'm a genin now!" Touya smiled and Ino gave her a thumb up. Turning to face Ino, she used her foot to slide the album away from her, and out of view, but it was to no avail, as Ino immediately said,

"Mama? What are you trying to hide?" Looking over her mother's shoulders, she made a grab at the book, but Touya pushed her away.

"I-it's nothing…Just some photo's…old ones that need to be thrown out…" Ino looked at her mother suspiciously and said,

"You can't fool me with that…L-Let me see!" Touya let out a small shriek as Ino pounced on her, successfully taking hold of the album. Touya fumbled to right herself but by the time she was back up, she was horrified to see that Ino was staring at the one page that she didn't want her to see.

"I-Ino…" Touya began.

"What's his name? I mean, you've never mentioned him…he's my brother right?" Touya was speechless.

"W-what?" The blonde woman said weakly. Ino looked up and set the album down on the floor. Turning it around so that it was facing towards Touya. She placed her finger sharply on a photo of a 4 year old blonde boy hanging onto Inoichi's pant leg. Inoichi was grinning and was ruffling the boy's short hair.

"Ino…" Ino frowned.

"I know he's my brother. I've seen a picture of him before." Touya was shocked. She thought she had been so careful.

"W-where?" She said, her voice barely registering in her mind.

"At Shikamaru's house. His mother was cleaning last year, and she made us sort pictures. It was at the bottom of a box…a little boy with blonde hair and you when you were pregnant with me, I'm guessing. Shikamaru said that he had heard about a boy who lived here who died when the Kyuubi attacked… We deduced that he was my Nii-san. But when we asked Shikaku-san, he just shook his head and walked away… But we couldn't find his name on the civilian cenograph… Mama…" Touya ran her finger across the photo.

"Deidara… That's his name…Please… Ask your father, he was more informed. I suppose now that you are a shinobi, you are an adult." Ino nodded, but didn't smile.

Standing up, she slowly slipped out of the room, leaving a stunned Touya to stare at the pictures of the little boy she so dearly missed.

Inoichi was sweeping the store when Ino re-entered.

"Ahh…Ino-chan! How did your mother take it?" Ino looked at her father and said, in a calm and level voice,

"Tou-chan…Can you tell me about…Deidara-nii-san?" Inoichi stared at his daughter for good minute before sighing. Moving to the entrance, he turned the 'open' sign to 'closed'.

"How did you…?" Ino walked into the room further and said,

"Me and Shikamaru found a picture of him at his house…and Mama told me his name, and to ask you what happened to him." Inoichi sighed again and rubbed his face.

"Alright… alright. Yamanaka Deidara is your older brother by 6 years. 12 years ago, before you were born…just before actually, as Touya used to help Yondaime's wife with her baby… But anyway…Ino, this is an S Class secret. Only me, your mother, Deidara and his guardian know. You cannot, I repeat, cannot tell anyone. I don't want to have to be forced to do anything rash, if it leaks out." Ino gulped loudly, not only at the threat, but because Inoichi left the 'chan' out of her name.

"I-I promise…But Shikamaru, can I at least tell him the name?" Inoichi was silent for a moment before saying,

"He's dead to Konoha. He died in the Kyuubi attack, but his body was never recovered, so he wasn't put on the cenograph." Ino nodded shakily.

"12 years ago, Yondaime himself, saw that Deidara, who always struggled with our jutsu, had an unusual talent for making clay figurines move with chakra. Yondaime saw this, and decided his friend from Iwagakure, who could not only do the same thing, but could use them as a weapon. We were so proud… You see, the war with rock had just ended, and we were sitting on a very testy temporary treaty, and Yondaime's friend had taken a great risk in coming." Ino's eyes widened.

"S-so…Is he still in Iwagakure?" Inoichi nodded his head.

"Yondaime had asked that he be specially trained as a weapon against the Uchiha's. He said that Uchiha Fugaku… Sasuke's father, as you would know him, was a bit loopy in his ideals. He worried that something like the Uchiha massacre would happen. He's still training, as far as I know… and hope. Does that answer your questions?" Ino stared at her father for a few moments before asking,

"You mentioned that the Yondaime had a wife…and a baby! I didn't know that…who are they?" Inoichi shook his head.

"They both died in the Kyuubi attack, alongside Yondaime." Ino deflated a bit but shook her head.

"What was Deidara like? Oh! Uh… Do you think, since it's been 12 years since the war, we could go to Iwagakure…and maybe…"

"No! I don't know where he is! I haven't heard from him since you were born! After Yondaime died, we had no way of contacting him. All he knows is that your name is Ino, and you were a girl. He sent a letter back that said he was staying at a monastery…" Inoichi shook his head again.

"Please, Tou-chan! I want to meet my brother! I can go alone…I could stay for a while, so that no one is suspicious…"

"What about your team?" Ino dropped her finger and thought for a moment.

"A-ah…err…well, I could ask Sandaime to reserve any missions to Iwagakure…"

"Ino-chan…The chances of that happening are next to null! You're a brand new genin team; the most you'll get for a mission will be D-ranked!" Ino pouted.

* * *

"Alright, you three. Meet the man you will be escorting." Ino, Shikamaru, Chouji, and Asuma, who wasn't paying attention, turned towards the door. Two men, both sensible looking walked through. One of them winked at Ino, and the blonde shuddered.

"This is a C ranked mission, for sheer distance. These men have no enemies to fear, but want shinobi to help them traverse the canyon paths that separate the rock country. I want you three on your best behaviour." Ino mentally cried with joy. She had been Genin for a mere three months, and they were finally going on their first C rank! Not only that, they were going to Iwagakure!

Squealing to herself, Ino opened her eyes and suddenly became aware of the room full of people. All of them looking at her. Blushing, she looked down and murmured something that sounds like an apology.

* * *

"Mendokuse…" a bored voice said, making a girl snort, partially in annoyance, and partially in agreement.

Team 10 and their escortees had been travelling for two weeks and they had just left Fire Country. The man who had winked at Ino had persisted to hit on her the entire journey, and it was grating on both her and Shikamaru's nerves, no matter how hard the lazy genius tried to ignore it.

Ino rolled over and looked at Shikamaru. Chouji was snoring softly beside him. Sakura thought it weird that she slept in the same tent with her teammates, as Sakura had often mentioned that she had a tent to herself, but Ino didn't mind. She enjoyed talking with Shikamaru.

"Hey… you remember that picture we found of my nii-san?" Shikamaru opened his eyes and looked at the blonde girl. Gazing at her, he sighed and returned to his close eyed stare at the ceiling.

"Yea… Oyaji said he died, right?" Ino nodded and rested her chin on her crossed arms.

"I asked Tou-chan about him. His name is Deidara. Apparently he's still alive…But you can't tell anyone!" Shikamaru frowned, his eyes still closed.

"Deidara? I've heard that name before…" Ino looked up.

"Have you? Where?" Shikamaru shrugged and said,

"I'll think about it. Go to sleep Ino." Ino snorted and rolled back to her sleeping bag, and tried to prepare for another day of the horribly bland man's attentions.

* * *

"Ah! Finally! This place is amazing!" Ino exclaimed. Shikamaru grunted, and Chouji ate. Asuma was too busy lighting a smoke to pay attention. The men from Iwagakure smiled proudly and said,

"We thank you for taking us this far…please, rest and recuperate at our Inn… We'll take you there, and pay you." Asuma perked up at 'pay', and Shikamaru nodded.

"Please." He said, and the men from Iwa smiled.

An hour later found the group seated comfortably in separate rooms at the inn. After setting a few small traps, Ino left her room, and knocked on Shikamaru's. The lazy boy peered through the door and Ino said,

"C'mon, Asuma-sensei said we could wander until nightfall, and it's still noon…Let's go uh, shopping!" Shikamaru sighed and said,

"Chouji's sleeping, so I suppose we could leave him behind. Give me a minute to change into civilian clothes." Ino nodded and tugged on her dark blue hoodie. She still wore the bandages instead of shorts, but it looked all the same to her. She let her hair down, enjoying how it felt, cascading down her back.

True to his word, Shikamaru came out after a minute wearing a dark orange t-shirt and the same pants he normally wore. His hair was still up in the thick ponytail, and Ino knew from experience that it took more effort than it was worth to get him to take it down.

The streets of Iwagakure were packed with mid-day customers, and Ino full understood how much bigger Iwagakure was than Konoha.

A small trinket shop caught her eye and she wandered into it, pulling a slightly annoyed Shikamaru along with her. Once inside, the various chimes and bells that tinkled softly, reflecting light off them captivated her. She was so enthralled in them that she didn't notice the shop keeper until he spoke.

"Good afternoon, you two. See anything you like, miss?" Ino jumped slightly, but kept her shinobi calm.

"Oh! I was just enthralled at how beautiful everything was… What's this made of?" She asked, pointing at a thinly cut purple stone that acted as a wind catcher for a set of large wind chimes.

"Amethyst. It's quite common to find the stones in the mountains, but it takes skill to get them to look like that." Ino looked at the stone with awe. Shikamaru was examining a small wooden tube that the shopkeeper started to describe when Ino spotted a finely painted figure of a dressed up pig. Carefully picking the pig up, it fit perfectly into her slender hand.

"Do you like it?" The shop keep's deep voice asked. Ino jumped and almost dropped the pig.

"Y-yes… It's very well done…the attention to detail is amazing…who did it?" The man leaned back and said,

"I run this shop to help fund the monastery I live in. We have a very talented young man living with us who has been helping us with his finely done sculptures." Ino stared at the pig.

"What's his name? This pig is amazing…"

"Deidara." Ino's eyebrows twitched. Even Shikamaru gave a little jolt, but he cleverly concealed it behind a motion with the wooden tube, a telescope, the shop keep had said.

"The monastery, you say? Could you give us directions to it, perhaps? I would really like to meet this Deidara… My mother collects figurines like this…I've been looking for someone to commission, and no one I've met have been able to do what I wanted…" The man rubbed his bald head and said,

"Alright. Deidara's been cooped up for a while, it would do him good to take a challenge. Follow this road north until you see a large yellow building. Take the first left after that and go up the dirt road towards the mountains. It's a large cathedral like building. You won't miss it." Ino smiled and approached the counter.

"I'd like to buy this as well. Both as a thanks for the directions, and because it's so wonderfully done." The man smiled and Ino gratefully handed over a few of the coins she had been paid.

"That was smooth…When did you learn to talk like that?" Shikamaru said as the two traversed the northern road towards the yellow building. Ino shrugged.

"I'm a girl with tons of charisma. It was taught in academy to all kunoichi's. Whether we use it and refine it is up to us." Shikamaru shook his head.

"H-hey! Look! The yellow building! That must be the road…Shikamaru?" The black haired boy was digging in the small pocket that all shinobi kept attached to their pants. He pulled out a small book and flipped its pages. Stopping at a page around the middle, he said,

"I remembered…Here look." He held the book up to Ino's face and she saw a picture of a young man with long blonde hair and grey blue eyes.

"He's a C-Class nin… Not a nukenin, but he's noted for his tendency to use explosive clay figures in battle. You're lucky that Konoha keeps better tabs on Iwa Nin than they normally would do for any other country." Ino took the book and stared at the picture.

"He has Mama's eyes…" Shikamaru blinked, but held back his sigh as Ino ran her finger along the picture.

"Look, Ino, the dirt road. I can see the monastery from here." Ino looked up from the book and gasped.

"It's beautiful…" Shikamaru nodded and said,

"Can I have my bingo book back yet? I stole it off of Asuma because his was a better version." Ino handed the book back and said,

"Better? How so? We're all given the same books." Shikamaru shook his head.

"If you have connections in the ANBU, you can get the ones where they have not only nukenin, but nin that are unique, or particularly strong from all of the shinobi countries. Asuma needs to get an update…How old did Deidara look in that picture? 14? 15? He's got to be at least 18 by now… you said that he was 6 when he left, right?" Ino nodded.

"There look, we're here. All that talking and speed walking got us there in no time." Ino smiled excitedly. She sped ahead of Shikamaru and entered the large, ornate building, bowing every time she encountered someone.

When Shikamaru caught up to her, he hissed into her ear,

"Ino! How are you going to find him? Planning on wandering around?" Ino looked at Shikamaru as if he was stupid, instead of a genius.

"It's easy. Watch…" The blonde approached an old man and said, after bowing politely,

"Sumimasen…sir… Do you know where I could locate a man called Deidara-san? I wish to speak to him about his…art." The old man looked at her and tightened the grip on his cane. Shikamaru thought that the cane looked odd on him, as he stood like his spine was made of steel.

Raising his cane he pointed it towards a corridor that led behind the massive fireplace that greeted the entrance hall.

"Go that way; his room is the 22nd on the left. If he's not there, then check around back. He'd probably be meditating." Ino bowed low and said her thanks.

"C'mon, Shikamaru!" She said, grabbing the boy's hand and leading him down the hall.

* * *

"19, 20, 21, 22! It's this one!" Ino said. Shikamaru could only roll his eyes. Ino excitedly rapped her knuckles on the wooden door. The sound echoed through the halls and rustling, and a muffled crash was heard from the inside.

Ino's blood ran cold as she realized that she was intruding on this person's life, who had never seen her, other than a single picture. Was he mean? Nice? Did he care for Konoha anymore? The door clicked and creaked loudly as it opened.

"Hello…? Can I help you two?" A voice said. Ino froze. He sounded like a younger version of Inoichi. The girl had to look up, as he was closing in on the six foot mark. His long blonde hair, a deeper blonde than her own, but a blonde that matched her mother's ran down his back. He was wearing a black and grey robe, and had clay smeared across his cheek and hiteate.

"Uhh, Hello? Can I ask why you're staring at my forehead?" Deidara said.

"Uh-uh…umm…H-hi…You're D-Deidara-san, right?" Deidara nodded and stepped out of his room, closing the door. Ino and Shikamaru stepped back to give him room.

"Yes… And how can I be of service to you…" Deidara held the 'u' sound asking for Ino's name.

"Oh, um…I'm I-Ino…" Ino caught the spark that appeared in Deidara's eye.

"Ino, eh? I know an Ino." Ino blushed slightly.

"I-I know you do. That would be me…Deidara-nii-san?" Deidara stared at her unashamedly. Looking around the hall he pushed his door open.

"Here, get inside. We can talk more." Ino nodded and Shikamaru followed. Deidara's room was more an art studio than anything. Various statues of various sizes decorated nearly every inch of the small area. A messy bed in the corner was the only thing that indicated someone did something other than sculptures.

Deidara gestured for the two genin to sit on his bed, Shikamaru took his offer gladly, but Ino hesitated.

"I hope I didn't…disturb anything?" Deidara closed the door softly and said,

"Are you kidding? Do you know how much I've wanted to meet you?" Ino processed the statement, but squealed as she was swept up by Deidara into a massive hug. Putting her down, Ino's face was red with embarrassment.

"A-ahh, Nii-san!" She said. Deidara laughed and rubbed the back of his head.

"Ahh, Ino-chan…You don't know how long I've waited to hear that! It sounds so nice! Sir would never let me go back and visit Konoha… Is Ka-san and Tou-san here?" Ino shook her head.

"No…I'm on my first C-rank mission! Oh, this is my team mate Nara Shikamaru, by the way."

"N-Nara? As in that weird guy with the scar and the deer?" Ino nodded and Deidara laughed.

"He used to let me ride around on his deer as a kid, he was pretty nice." Shikamaru looked away in annoyance. Parents were troublesome.

"So what have you been doing all these years, Ino-chan?" Ino smiled and said,

"Well, life in Konoha's pretty boring…"

* * *

Shikamaru was shaken awake roughly.

"Shikamaru! It's almost dark…We have to leave!" Shikamaru sat up and said,

"Uhh?" Opening his eyes he saw Deidara sitting on a stool, and Ino had smears of clay on her cheeks.

"We have to go! Nii-chan, I really don't want to leave…I'll come back tomorrow if I can, ok?" Deidara smiled and said,

"Here, I made this for you after I got that picture of you as a baby." Reaching up to a higher shelf, he pulled down a sculpture about the size of her head that was shaped and painted to resemble a pig holding a vase.

"You can put flowers in it and stuff, I guess… It's not very good; I made it when I was 6." Ino took the pig and said,

"It's wonderful! I love it! I guess you made it because of my name, ne?" Deidara grinned, and Ino grinned back.

"Here, these three guys are toys for you and Tou-san and Ka-san. Just push a little chakra into their heads and…" Deidara held his hand out and the two lizards and one bird started crawling around and hopping about, as smoothly as if they were alive.

"O-oh! So neat! Look, Shikamaru!" Shikamaru groaned again and stood up.

"C'mon, you said so yourself…we need to go." Ino nodded sadly and said,

"Well, I guess this is goodbye for now…I'll try to comeback tomorrow…but If I can't…" Ino leaned forward and planted a large kiss on her brother's cheek." Deidara ruffled her hair and said,

"Stay safe, Ino-chan." Ino nodded and Deidara hugged her again, mindful of her new toys. Shikamaru made another noise, and Ino left the room, waving, behind the lazy genius.

* * *

Ino sighed as she replaced the dead chrysanthemum in her pig vase. She returned from her mission, which was deemed an excellent success, and returned to her life of D ranked missions in the Village Hidden in Leaves.

The figurines and news from Deidara delighted her parents almost as much as actually meeting him did to her. Touya took it particularly well, and Ino noticed that she seemed much livelier than before. She had even brought out a few pictures of a young Deidara and put them around the house.

Inoichi was just glad that Deidara was alive and well, and that his children got along so brilliantly.

Smelling the bright flower before she placed it in the vase, she sighed. Ino had not been able to go the next day, as Asuma deemed them rested and ready to go. The trip home had been as dismal as the first time, and even sadder for Ino as she was realized she would probably never see her brother again.

Sighing again, she stroked the petals of the flower and lifted the pg vase so it rested on the sill of her window.

"One day, Nii-chan…I promise."

* * *

"Ugh…Kiba you stink. Take a bath once in a while, wont you?" Said boy snorted in Ino's direction and his enormous dog woofed quietly. Another girl in the corner of the room looked like she wanted to say something, but just twirled a strand of her long indigo hair instead. A blush decorating her pretty face.

"Ugh…I'm bored. Hinata, want to go shopping? I've been here once…a few years ago…I know this awesome place…" Hinata looked up at Ino and blushed again.

"U-uh…s-sure…if it n-not t-too much of a b-bother…" Ino put her hand on her hip and flicked her other hand.

"Nonsense. C'mon, let's go!" Grabbing the girl by her hand, Hinata let out a small squeak before exiting to Kiba's voice saying,

"Buy me some pretty soap then, Ino-chan!" Ino held up a very rude finger at him and Kiba gave a laugh. Hinata blushed more and the girls left the small Inn.

"C'mon, Hinata! I got to get my mind off Asuma-sensei… Being here reminds me of him." Hinata looked down and tried to ignore the look of sadness that the blonde was hiding.

Ino dragged Hinata along a busy road, past a yellow building, and onto a dirt road before Hinata asked,

"I-Ino-san…W-where…?" Ino paused and said,

"Somewhere special. C'mon! You'll really like this guy!" Hinata was sceptical for a few moments, but brushed it off. If Ino trusted him, than Hinata could as well.

Arriving at a beautiful cathedral, Ino just marched in and after bowing to the monks she passed, she stole down a hallway. Hinata felt lost, but Ino finally stopped at a wooden door and knocked loudly. Rustling was head, and Ino started to shift in excitement.

The door opened and someone who was clearing six feet said,

"Hello? Can I help you?"

"Dei-ehh? Uhhmm… Is this Deidara's room?" The man looked at Ino and said,

"If you don't want to be thrown out, I suggest you leave, and neglect mentioning that name anywhere." Ino's blood ran cold.

"W-what? What happened?" The man looked around, satisfied that no one was around, he said in a low voice,

"How can you not know? They say he went crazy, some say that his clay bombs got dropped the wrong way…ether way, he blew a lot of people and buildings up. I heard that he even joined Akatsuki… Although one old man who always liked Deidara more than the rest of us said that he only joined the group to take down that Uchiha… Ya hear? Don't be talking about him around here…some of the oldies are kinda mean." Ino didn't say anything. She was frozen to the spot, and it was Hinata who thanked the man for his time, and led Ino slowly back to the Inn.

Ino cried herself to sleep that night. She knew why he was in the Akatsuki…to kill the bastard Uchiha who killed his entire clan, but it didn't make it any easier for the blonde to deal with.

Hinata didn't know why she was involved with an S-Class nukenin, and so deeply at that, but the girl wasn't willing to talk, and Hinata wasn't going to push her.

* * *

Ino's journey back to Konoha after their mission had been completed was quick and silent one. Kiba assumed that her silence and general depression was from Asuma's recent death, and although Hinata knew otherwise, she kept her mouth shut, offering her shoulder for Ino to cry on.

The next few months for Ino were hard. She researched and found that Deidara had become a nukenin only 2 months after her first visit, and was pegged by the Akatsuki a mere three weeks after that. When Naruto returned from his 2 and half year training session with Jiraiya, his blonde hair and blue eyes and charismatic smiled made her think of Deidara even more.

It was Sakura, who stopped by Ino's shop to buy roses for her mother, who told Ino that Naruto was wondering why she was avoiding him. Ino was shocked; it didn't even register in her brain that she had been taking complete 180's when Naruto turned the street corner, or ducking into shops and alleys.

She told Sakura that she didn't even realize it, and organized a party for Naruto's return, even though he had been back for almost a month. Naruto forgave and forgot, but Ino didn't. Everyday she placed a different coloured Chrysanthemum in her pig vase.

It wasn't until Naruto came back from a particularly long and harrowing mission that she was informed of Deidara's death… apparently by trying to take out Sasuke. Both Ino and her mother cried the entire day. But only Ino continued to cry herself to sleep for the next few weeks.

* * *

Shikamaru came the day the news was told and with him he brought a bundle of yellow daffodils.

"They remind me of your guy's ponytails." Shikamaru had said, and Ino smiled through her tears. She took one of the flowers and replaced the wilting Chrysanthemum in her vase.

Hugging her long time friend, Shikamaru awkward hugged her back.

"Thank you, Shikamaru… You're a good friend. Let's go…I heard Temari was in town…maybe I can arrange a double date with Sai…" Shikamaru blushed a little and said, disgruntled,

"O-oi… Why would I want to date that hellcat?" Ino laughed and took the rest of the flowers in Shikamaru's arms. She placed them in the vase on the table in her sitting room. Grabbing Shikamaru's wrist, she dragged him along as she hunted down the wind loving Jounin from sand.

* * *

THE END. 


End file.
